You Know We Belong Together

“I watched every single episode of Australian soap opera Home and Away since it first aired in 1988, but I’ve never seen another person with Down syndrome in the cast. I used to dream of landing a role in it and finding love. So I created You Know We Belong Together. This is a story for us, by us.”

YOU KNOW WE BELONG TOGETHER (YKWBT) is a critically acclaimed production, co-created by Julia Hales, playwright Finn O’Branagáin and director Clare Watson. Presented on stage by Julia, the heartfelt story explores love, loss and friendship through the lens of seven performers with Down Syndrome.

Inspired by Julia's deep love for family, community and Home and Away, YKWBT was created as a tribute to her mum, Carol Hales. YKWBT emerged from Julia’s 2017 short film, FINDING LOVE which was creat ed as research and proof of concept. Three artists interviewed in FINDING LOVE went on to star in YKWBT - Patrick Carter, Tina Fielding and Lauren Marchbank.

YKWBT was co-commissioned by Perth Festival, DADAA and Black Swan State Theatre Company. Following its sold-out premiere at Perth Festival in 2018, the work toured internationally to London’s Southbank Centre, the Edinburgh International Festival and Sydney Opera House. Read Creative Australia’s case study on YKWBT here

Screens

Screens is a collaborative performance work that investigates the complex social and ethical implications of prenatal ‘screening’ for Down Syndrome. The team included Director Chris Kohn and a company of independent artists from Sydney and Melbourne.

SCREENS aimed to bring a personal perspective to a subject rarely explored in mainstream performance. The team drew upon their own lived experiences whilst creating this piece. Julia herself is a creative who has Down Syndrome and artists Chris Kohn, Dani Kohn and Hermione Merry are all parents of children with Down Syndrome.

Also shaped by the documentary and dramaturgy work of Roslyn Oades, SCREENS blends documentary style interviews with theatre. The creative process included three weeks of creative development in 2019 for the team. SCREENS has been produced by Bureau of Works and supported by the City of Melbourne Arts Grants Program and the Australia Council for the Arts.

The Upside

Whilst working on Screens, Julia was contracted by ABC’s Compass program to host an episode titled The Upside of Downs.

Within THE UPSIDE, Julia Hales explored people's thoughts when they were facing a decision about having a baby with Down Syndrome and re-examined her own experience as she confronted parents' fears and celebrated the joys of living with Down Syndrome.

This documentary showcased Julia’s exceptional talent for interviewing, a skill she has a great passion for. Marleen Susman of ABC, described Julia as, ‘Incisive, thoughtful, and skilled in all her interviews. She managed to elicit honest reflection from her interviewees, while she remained professional and balanced.” The Upside is available to watch now on ABC iview.

Subtext

Subtext is a new contemporary performance and dance work created by Laura Boynes in collaboration with Julia Hales, Adam Kelly, Bernadette Lewis, Russell Thorpe, and Sarah Pollard.

SUBTEXT explores the theory that humans can only truly experience the world through their individual reality. This project is supported by the Minderoo Foundation Artist Fund. Read more about Laura Boynes work here.

Sensorium Theatre

Julia is actively involved in the work of Sensorium Theatre as a performer. Sensorium provides children with disability the magic of live performance, by creating a custom sensory theatre experience.

Sensorium is one aspect of the work Julia undertakes within her local community. Her work at Sensorium involves weekly performances for Sensory Rhymetime, which brings a multi-sensory play-based approach to “readings” of rhymes and children’s stories.

Sensorium Theatre is cofounded by Francis Italiano and Michelle Hovane, who aim to improve the lives of young people with disability by sparking their imagination and increasing their creative responses. Read more on Sensorium here.

  • "Julia’s writing hits you in the heart, and her story is raw, honest and above all, one that needs to be heard."

    SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

  • "Unmissable! A beautiful, heartfelt reminder that theatre, at its absolute best, cuts across barriers and puts our shared humanity centre stage."

    LONDON EVERYTHING THEATRE

  • “A shared, joyous experience of the rarest kind."

    THE WEST AUSTRALIAN

  • “Heart-warming, whimsical, moving, funny, romantic, educational are just a few I came up with but none really do justice to this 70-minute piece of theatre.”

    LONDON THEATRE 1

  • “You Know We Belong Together demonstrates a capacity for love that, for all in the room, is transcendent.”

    THE REVIEWS HUB

  • "The arrival of each character on stage is a little piece of theatrical magic, upping the stakes for us all, on stage and off. They’re not just photos. They’re people.

    Th SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

  • "Created by Julia Hales, the hit production pairs a personal exploration of Down syndrome with 'Home and Away' dreams. Plays like You Know We Belong Together aren't a common sight on Australia's stages."

    CONCRETE PLAYGROUND